CAMERON DEYELL is a composer, performer and curator whose work spans recorded albums, live performance, contemporary dance, and screen.
His practice integrates improvisation, collaboration and technology with advanced recording techniques to create music that is expansive and otherworldly. Cameron’s current research explores post-human relationships with nature, focussing on the ocean. He leads the research project Offshore Lab aboard the sailing vessel Raven on the east coast of Australia. Guided by sonic curiosity and a belief that music is magic, his compositions emerge from a place of deep listening in offshore marine environments, where sound is allowed to breathe and evolve.
Cameron is a member of avant-punk band Liars and an Associate Artist at the North Australian Festival of the Arts. His current musical collaborators include Dancenorth Australia, Laurence Pike, Lior, Ben Vanderwall and Nick Garbett, and Zane Saunders. Cameron’s recent work has been presented at Sydney Opera House (with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra), Phoenix Central Park, Essential Tremors NYC, Psycho Fest Las Vegas, Dark Mofo, Vivid Sydney, Melbourne Recital Centre, Adelaide Guitar Festival, Judith Wright Arts Centre and VCA Dance.
His music has been published by labels including RCA, Mute Records, Sony, BMG, Future Classic, ATO, Endless Recordings, Senso Unico and Mushroom. Cameron has been twice-nominated for the Australian Music Prize and is a featured producer/performer on Sia’s Grammy nominated, double platinum-selling album This is Acting. He was also nominated for best original score for the feature documentary Namarali (Dir. Tim Mummery) at the 2023 WA Screen Culture Awards and composed the music for Dancenorth Australia’s Dungarri Nya Nya Bi Nya, which won the 2022 PAC Australia Impact Award. Cameron has received an APRA AMCOS Art Music Fund commissioning grant and three Creative Australia new work grants. He has engaged in artist residencies at UKARIA Cultural Centre (SA), Peninsula Hot Springs (Vic) and Dreamfarm (Tas).
Cameron is undertaking PhD research in interactive composition at the Melbourne Conservatorium of Music, University of Melbourne, where he also lectures and tutors in electroacoustic music, composition and contemporary guitar performance. He is a member of the Melbourne Biodiversity Institute Research Cluster and the Melbourne Climate Futures Research Cluster.
“…Deyell’s multi-talented wizardry (is) chameleon-like, serving as an immaculately fabricated backbone no matter the song’s mood… with this album Liars make a compelling case for another 20 years of existence.”
Spectrum Culture review of The Apple Drop
"guitarist Cameron Deyell added an effects laden, slow-motion, low register guitar solo that was like a surprise lighting change on a scene in a play”
John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald review of Charlie’s Time Is Up.
"the gloves came off for a Deyell solo that was as raw and brutal as it was sophisticated”
John Shand, Sydney Morning Herald review of Trophy Girl.
“…horny-handed guitar from Cameron Deyell…providing a slap of early 90’s Bowie.”
Bernard Zuel, review of City Of Longing.
“(it’s in the) spidery guitar lines, doomy riffs and sinister intonations – that Liars’ sulphurous power truly resides, delivering a deliciously unsettling and artful listening experience.”
Mojo Magazine review of The Apple Drop
“...strangely hilarious, irreverent, and above all, fresh-sounding”
Pitchfork review of This Is Acting.
“…a thrillingly intimate album … ending with the startlingly slurred break-up song "Space Between", if this is acting, then what would she be like doing it for real?” 4 stars
The Independent review of This Is Acting.
